Friday, March 10, 2017

One day in January, after a few days of snowfall, hubby and I went for a drive to a nearby town by the sea, where the trees were luxuriantly coated with snow.

First we went to a forest to find a special kind of bird that stays there the whole winter. We saw two of them but I wasn't able to photograph them because they were scared away by our presence. But at least, we caught a glimpse of them fluttering over the creek.

The best treat, however, was the immaculate wonderland that welcomed us to its bosom, where every tree, every branch, every twig was lavishly coated with snow. We took a short stroll under these snow-laden trees beside a creek that didn't freeze. We sauntered with eyes fixated on the trees and hearts filled with admiration and gratitude for such opulent gift of the season.

And, of course, my camera went....click, click, click.....

After that, we headed to the sea to check on the imprints of winter in this watery part of the place. The glowing sun was reflected on the blue tinted water dotted with floating ice and snow, while intense sunlight sparked colorful glitters on the tiny ice crystals that blanketed the shores.

Again, click, click, click.....

Our next and last stop was a lake closer to our city. As we wheeled toward the parking space beside the frozen lake, I was again transfixed by the scenes that greeted us. Here was another euphoria-inducing whiteness that my system could not resist! Pacing under the canopies of snow, I felt like stepping into a storybook realm where the ghastly realities in this present world vanish into oblivion. I let myself become lost in all the pristine whiteness of this realm.

More clicks.

We paced down the small frozen lake and saw three men ice-fishing. We scanned the all-white surrounding, drank in the purity of it all and left with a well-fed spirit.

I wanted to have a memory of me standing amidst the snowy trees, so hubby took several shots. I know I'm an awkward poser and I just stood with outstretched arms, but then, this is more about the wonderful feeling of being among the snowy trees than about me.

Afterthought: the snow is not just a thing of beauty but also life-sustaining.

"For just as the rain and the SNOW pour down from heaven
And do not return there until they saturate the earth,
making it produce and sprout,
Giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater."
(Isaiah 55:9, 10)